This invention was the subject matter of Document Disclosure Program Registration No. 243,568 which was filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Jan. 18, 1990.
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,947,033; 3,776,553; 4,136,874; and 4,662,642; the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse cattle roping practice apparatus having moveably disposed simulated rear legs.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, these patented structures have been uniformly remiss in simulating the action of a live animal once the horns or the legs of the simulated animal have been captively engaged by a rope.
Virtually none of the prior art devices have a quick release mechanism for disengaging the simulated animal from a towing vehicle once the head or one of the legs of the device has been restrained by a rope; such that the simulated animal would react in virtually the same manner as a live animal would respond once its freedom of movement had been curtailed under actual roping conditions.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for an improved roping practice apparatus that is responsive to the force exerted by a rope on the apparatus to activate a quick release mechanism to disengage the apparatus from a towing vehicle to produce realistic action, and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention.